Now is an excellent time to buy used cars in Calgary, but getting a good quality used car can be a long process when compared to looking for a brand-new car. There are a number of factors to consider when buying a used car. In this blog post, our team at Double L Motors goes over some common mistakes that shoppers make when looking to buy a used car.
They Don’t Do Adequate Research
We have seen this over and over again; a person buys a car that most people who have good knowledge of cars know to avoid, and that car ends up breaking down or failing in some catastrophic way, costing the owner a lot of money, sometimes more money than the car is worth.
People often spend hours trying to decide which brand of mobile phone to purchase, but they won’t put in a similar effort when selecting a used car. Since used cars often are past warranty and have a fair amount of kilometers on them, it is even more important to read about which models are reliable and which models could be a major red flag.
They Don’t Get Their Car Inspected
Even if you narrow down your choices to the most reliable used cars in Calgary within your price range, reliability depends heavily on maintenance. It doesn’t matter if a Honda or Toyota can typically run for about 300,000km if the previous owner did not maintain it well or damaged the car.
For this reason, it is vital to get any previously owned car inspected by a trusted mechanic. A good inspection will relieve any major problems with the vehicle and provide you with information on minor issues that can help you negotiate a fair price.
They Have an Inherent Bias
When you ask most people what a reliable used car is, they are likely to respond with a Honda or Toyota. While this is correct, a lot of people assume that these brands are the only reliable used cars on the market, which is simply not true.
You could be missing out on a newer, cheaper, and more reliable car than a similarly priced Honda or Toyota by ignoring other car models. Again, this all comes back to doing your research, but the best value for a used car is often found in makes such as Lincolns and Buicks.
They Don’t Look at New Cars as Well
When on a budget, most people don’t think about buying a new car. However, once you hit a specific price point with good value brands, it is often better to purchase a new car. Many people believe that a two-year-old used car is going to save them a lot of money in comparison to a new model. While this is typically true for luxury cars, mainstream brands often don’t show much difference in cost.
If you are shopping for a car in the ten thousand dollar range, this might not work for you, but if your budget is closer to twenty thousand dollars, buying a new one may be smarter.
Visit Double L Motors
If you are interested in purchasing your next pre-owned vehicle, our team at Double L Motors is here to help. We are happy to provide you with quality pre-owned cars. Please do not hesitate to visit our team today!